This is my Dad’s favorite seed jar, and my folks sent me one. I absolutely concur with my Dad’s assessment; this is neat. It is basically a jar with a built in hook and a stand so the jar can hang upside down to drain. The lid is metal mesh to allow the water through. A few times a day, you rinse the seeds and hang it back up to drain. I have my set on the back of the sink, so it is easy to remember. When the sprouts fill the jar, I put them in the fridge and start a new round. It has been a very good way to encourage me to eat salads.
Photo description: sprout jar full of sprouts
I don’t have an Amazon affiliate (I should probably look into that), but here are the links to the jar and seeds I’ve been using.
My photo album is my memory, especially for crafts. I’m usually several projects ahead of what I’m posting about, and remembering back to what hook or needle I used is problematic. So I take a picture.
Photo description: knitted swatch of hand spun mint infused fiber with a needle gauge and a needle inserted into the 2.25mm hole. Calico cat sleeping in the background.
If I can get an animal in the background of the picture, all the better.
Here is a quick project for found butterfly wings. We often find deceased butterflies in the yard, and in December 2011, we had some amazingly intact wings. Jewelry sections of hobby stores often have premade pendant frames that are two pieces of thin glass or plastic held together with a metal frame. I found these square frames, opened them, and carefully cut the butterfly wings to fit the glass.
Photo description: four square framed pendants with monarch butterfly wings sandwiched between glass
I am amazed at the durability of these pendants. I decided they looked better on our tree, so rather than necklaces, I made them into ornaments by adding a hook. They are some of my favorite ornaments and are still gracing our tree 13 years later.
Here is another requested repair from my mother-in-law. This is a pretty nested tear drop design made from several colored loops. Here, the component holding all the loops broke in half.
Photo description: four layer teardrop pendant with broken connecting link (upside down)
Rather than glue the link back together, which surely would have broken again, I crafted a new linkage from twisted square sterling silver wire. I liked the rustic look of the twisted wire, and how it coordinated with the existing loops.
Photo description: looped twisted square sterling silver wire holding the tear drop loops
I did accidentally break the silver colored tear drop, but a little sanding removed the burr and I was able to still use it in the repaired pendant.
Photo description: repaired pendant as it would hang on the chain
Did I remember to take a photo of the pendant on the chain? Sigh, no.
I replaced my recliner. The padding in the old one was breaking down, especially on the arms, causing pain and numbness in my own arm. I tried reworking the existing padding, and then replacing the padding, with no improvement. The recliner mechanism was also staring to go, again. (I did replace that a few years ago by ordering a new ratchet strip, but I even wore that out.) Time for a new seat, but what to do with the old one? It was not all leather, but did have some, could I reclaim it?
Photo description: old leather recliner
I took a pair of kitchen shears and went after the fabric of the chair.
Photo description: inside the recliner showing the leather (tan) and the faux leather (white)
Deconstructing was not terribly hard. Most of the screws were two sizes of Torx head, and I had the right size screwdrivers. I was appalled at the amount of cardboard inside the recliner, it was a thin sheet of that over the sharp edge of wood that was causing the pressure point in the arm of the chair; the curved slope was an illusion. The hardest thing to remove was the handle for the recliner action.
Photo description: handle removed after applying a wrench to the screwdriver to get enough torque
I’m thought about reclaiming some of the steel and springs, but I didn’t have a purpose in mind, and I don’t have the storage space for that much “maybe”. I used leather often, so I knew that was a valuable resource.
Photo description: steel mechanisms and springs inside the recliner
In the end, I reclaimed 2 pounds 9 ounces of leather and reduced the recliner to fit in four black bags, which could be put out with the other trash and not require a special pick up.
Photo description: four large black garbage bags ready for take out
Critters and Craft 